Department for Transport

Shipping: Hydrogen

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential of green hydrogen to replace existing maritime fuels.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: DfT-commissioned analysis supporting the publication of the 2019 Clean Maritime Plan provided an assessment of emission reduction options for shipping such as low emission fuels. This includes hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels such as ammonia and methanol.The Government’s approach is technology neutral and it would be premature to speculate precisely which technologies might and might not be able to deliver our long-term ambitions.The Government announced the winners of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition on 15 September. Some of the winners of the competition are working on hydrogen maritime solutions.

Department for Education

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Career Development Loans

Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Professional and Career Development Loans scheme has not been re-opened for HGV drivers.

Baroness Barran: Commercial providers of Professional and Career Development Loans have withdrawn from the scheme over the last few years. The scheme ended for new lending when the contract between the government and The Co-operative Bank expired in early 2019. The department is providing support for Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) driver training through other routes. We are investing up to £17 million to create new Skills Bootcamps to offer 5,000 training places in HGV driving to help tackle the current HGV driver shortage. The free, intensive courses will train drivers to be road ready and gain a category C or category C&E licence or additional qualifications, for example to haul fuel, as well as refresher courses to help drivers who have left the profession to return. An additional 1,000 people are expected to be trained through courses accessed locally and funded by the government’s adult education budget.

Ministry of Justice

Pensions: Fraud

Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) convictions, and (2) criminal penalties, there were for pension scams in each year since 2010.

Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many, and (2) which, regulatory bodies are responsible for the criminal prosecution of fraud; how many successful prosecutions for fraud have been secured as a result of actions taken by each of these bodies since 2010; and what penalties have been imposed following each of these prosecutions.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Due to the nature of fraud, it can be committed in a variety of ways against organisations and individuals.  As such, we do not hold a record of all regulators that may be involved with the criminal prosecution of fraud.  The Government set out its plans for tackling fraud in the joint public and private sector Economic Crime Plan (2019-22), which was published in July 2019. Further information, including a list of organisations involved in the development of it, can be found here: Economic Crime Plan, 2019 to 2022, accessible version - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) The number of convictions involving pension scams is not centrally held in the court proceedings database as this specific offence is not separately identified in legislation. Identifying this offence separately would require a manual search of court records, incurring disproportionate costs. The Ministry of Justice has published information on prosecutions, convictions and outcomes for fraud offences, that will include pensions scams, amongst other offences. The numbers of prosecutions, convictions and outcomes for fraud offences have been provided in the attached table. These figures were taken from the following published data tool:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/987715/outcomes-by-offence-2020.xlsx The Court Proceedings database does not include the responsible regulatory body bringing the prosecution.Table (xlsx, 18.7KB)

Prisoners: Females

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many women are currently in prison; and how many of these women are on remand.

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many women in prison are serving a sentence of (1) 0–1 months, (2) 2–3 months, (3) 4–6 months, (4) 7–12 months, (5) 13–24 months, and (6) over 24 months.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: As at 30 June 2021 there were 3,196 women in prison of which 643 were on remand. This can be found at:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1006269/Population_30June2021_quarterly.odsThe number of women in prison serving a sentence of (1) 0–1 months, (2) 2–3 months, (3) 4–6 months, (4) 7–12 months, (5) 13–24 months, and (6) over 24 months is in the table below.The number of female prisoners serving determinate sentences by sentence length 1Sentence Length 2Number of female PrisonersLess than or equal to two months21More than two months to four months66More than four months to six months97More than six months to twelve months131More than twelve months to twenty four months202More than twenty four months1,304Total1,821Notes1) This table only includes prisoners who have a recorded judicially imposed sentence length. Prisoners who are serving life or imprisonment for public protection sentences, or have been recalled, or are non-criminals, are excluded from the table. Prisoners serving a sentence for defaulting on a fine are included in this table.2) The sentence length banding has been adjusted to remove any gaps in time between the bands specified in the request.Data sources and qualityThe figures in this table have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.Source: Prison NOMISAs noted on the table it only includes prisoners who have a recorded judicially imposed sentence length. Prisoners who are serving life or imprisonment for public protection sentences, or have been recalled, or are non-criminals, including those held on immigration grounds, are excluded from the table, but prisoners serving a sentence for defaulting on a fine are included. For more information on other sentence types, please see Table 1.1.

Sentencing: Parents

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to issue sentencing guidelines to prevent harm todependent children of those being sentenced, particularly mothers; and what plans they have to table amendments to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill for that purpose.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Sentencing guidelines are issued by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales, which is independent of Parliament and Government. When sentencing, courts are required by law to follow any relevant guidelines, unless satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. Reflecting the principles established by the Court of Appeal in R v Petherick, the Council’s Imposition of Community and Custodial Sentences sentencing guideline is clear that, where an offender is on the cusp of custody, imprisonment should not be imposed where there would be an impact on dependants which would make a custodial sentence disproportionate to achieving the aims of sentencing. Even where the impact on dependants would not make a custodial sentence disproportionate, the Imposition guideline makes clear that the court should determine the shortest custodial sentence commensurate with the seriousness of the offence and also requires sentencers to consider whether a sentence can be suspended. The factors for sentencers to consider which might indicate circumstances in favour of suspending a custodial sentence include ‘realistic prospect of rehabilitation’, ‘strong personal mitigation’ and ‘where immediate custody will result in significant harmful impact upon others’. Sentencing guidelines also specify that being a ‘sole or primary carer for dependent relatives’ is a mitigating factor, which can be taken into consideration by the courts when determining a sentence. In 2019, the Council issued an expanded explanation for this factor which clarifies that where custody is unavoidable, consideration of the impact on dependants may be relevant to the length of the sentence imposed and whether the sentence can be suspended. It also makes clear that when a court is sentencing an offender who is pregnant, relevant considerations may include the effect of the sentence on the health of the offender and the unborn child.

Treasury

Financial Services

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on regulated investment firms operating SME Growth Markets being required to charge their members stamp duty on transactions whilst recognised investment exchanges operating equivalent SME Growth Markets benefit from a waiver; and what assessment they have made of the compatibility of this requirement with (1) Her Majesty’s Government’s policy of encouraging innovation in financial services, and (2) the recommendations of the Kalifa Review.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The relief from Stamp Duty and Stamp Duty Reserve Tax for trades in unlisted shares admitted to Recognised Stock Exchanges which are designated as Recognised Growth Markets was introduced in 2014. The relief is designed to boost investor participation in equity growth markets and improve the conditions for growing companies raising equity finance. Regulated investment firms that are operating SME Growth Markets are able to apply to HMRC for Recognised Stock Exchange and Recognised Growth Market status for their exchange, which will be granted if the exchange meets the relevant criteria. This would then allow their members to qualify for the relief. The government believes that the relief in its current format strikes the right balance between ensuring revenue for public services and supporting growth for the economy. However, as with all elements of the tax rules, the government keeps such reliefs under review, including the scope of the Stamp Duty growth market exemption. Innovation is central to the UK government’s vision for the future of the UK’s financial services sector. The Kalifa Review of UK Fintech, published in February this year, was commissioned to ensure the UK is continuing to create the right conditions for our fintech businesses to grow and compete, both here and abroad. Following the Review, the government and regulators are now delivering its key recommendations.

Money Laundering

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on UK companies of the registration thresholds resulting from the implementation in the UK by theFinancial Conduct Authority of the EU’s 5th anti-money laundering directive; and what assessment have they made of whether the directive is leading to UK companies’ tax revenues being driven offshore.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The UK’s Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (MLRs), set out the high-level requirements on regulated entities to combat money laundering. When the EU’s 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive (5MLD) was introduced in May 2018, the UK was required to transpose the requirements of 5MLD into domestic legislation, which included the expansion of the scope of the regulated sector. The UK completed the transposition of 5MLD in October 2020. The MLRs are designed to detect and prevent money laundering and terrorist financing before it occurs, both directly through the UK’s financial institutions and through enablers who may be involved in transactions such as lawyers, accountants and estate agents. 5MLD expanded the threshold for firms and sole practitioners who are regulated under the MLRs, and therefore required to register for anti-money laundering supervision, to include: letting agents, art market participants, cryptoasset firms, and tax providers. The government consulted in 2019 on how best to include these sectors within the UK’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regime, seeking to ensure that the regime effectively deters money laundering and terrorist financing activity, whilst being proportionate and managing burdens on businesses and legitimate customers. The UK is a global leader in the push towards greater tax transparency, driving forwards cooperation between jurisdictions to help to tackle tax evasion by making it harder to hide offshore financial assets. HMRC has a strong record in tackling offshore non-compliance, whether stopping this through leading international activity, providing easy ways for people to disclose correctly their tax affairs, or by acting against those who are trying to deliberately cheat the public.

Financial Services

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Financial Conduct Authority’s decision to restrict (1) non-cryptocurrency blockchain, and (2) non-cryptocurrency distributed ledger technology financial innovation, through its implementation of the cryptoasset register; and in particular, the compatibility of this decision with (a) Her Majesty’s Government’s policy of encouraging innovation in financial services, and (b) the recommendations of the Kalifa review.

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have madeof(1) whether the Financial Conduct Authority’s cryptoasset registration scheme permits UK cryptocurrency firms to move offshore and still serve UK consumers, and (2) the impact of this scheme on the FCA’s objective to secure an appropriate degree of protection for consumers.

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks faced by UK businesses which engage in (1) non-cryptocurrency blockchain, and (2) non-cryptocurrency distributed ledger technology innovation, of being de-banked and financially excluded from services by UK banks; and what plans they have, if any, to support such businesses to operate in the UK.

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Financial Conduct Authority’s decision to require authorised firms to re-apply for registration to engage in (1) non-cryptocurrency blockchain, and (2) non-cryptocurrency distributed ledger technology financial services innovation; and what assessment they have made of whether the implementation of a dual requirement framework is compatible with (a) Her Majesty’s Government’s policy of encouraging innovation in financial services, and (b) the recommendations of the Kalifa Review.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The government believes that having an effective anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regime goes hand-in-hand with supporting British fintech firms and consumers by providing confidence that new technologies can be used both reliably and safely. The scope of the UK’s anti-money laundering registration regime for cryptoassets is based on international standards agreed at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). This applies to cryptoassets regardless of whether they are intended to function as a medium of exchange or as an investment. As the Kalifa review noted, the UK has a hard-won reputation of trust regarding regulation and the rule of law which we must build on. The government supports the FCA’s approach to establishing the regime, which will provide the confidence needed to support genuine innovation in the cryptoassets sector. Whilst it is open to UK cryptoasset firms to relocate to another jurisdiction, most major financial centres worldwide are in FATF member jurisdictions, which are expected to implement AML standards for cryptoasset firms that are broadly in line with those in the UK. Firms based overseas that do not carry on their cryptoasset business in the UK may still interact with UK consumers. The government launched a consultation on its regulatory approach to cryptoassets and stablecoins on 7 January and will outline next steps in due course. The FCA’s consumer protection objective applies where the FCA is discharging one of its general objectives under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, and does not apply with regard to functions conferred under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (the MLRs). Under the MLRs, firms are expected to assess money laundering and terrorist financing risks when considering the services they provide to current or potential customers. The ultimate decision about whether to provide services to a customer belongs to the bank, which may take into account commercial considerations in addition to financial crime risks. To comply with the MLRs, cryptoasset firms must demonstrate systems, controls, policies and procedures adequate to deal with the particular risks of the cryptoasset market. That a firm is already permitted to carry out activities in one area therefore does not mean it meets the required standards for another area. It is therefore necessary for a firm to apply to be registered for its cryptoasset activities, even though it has already registered with the FCA for AML supervision related to other activities.

Just Eat: Climate Change

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Financial Conduct Authority about enforcement action against the food delivery company Just Eat over its failure to comply with the mandatory requirement to disclose climate change risks to investors in its annual report.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) does not generally confirm or deny whether it is investigating a particular firm or individual. The FCA has powers to take a variety of enforcement actions against firms that breach its rules. It is the responsibility of the independent regulator to investigate and decide upon the appropriate course of action in a particular case. The Treasury has no general power of direction over the FCA and cannot intervene in individual cases.

Debt Collection

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government which debt collecting agencies Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs has ceased to use within the last five years; and what were the reasons in each case.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: HMRC does not have a direct relationship with debt collection agencies. It draws their services from a panel provided by a joint venture private and public sector framework contract, which is managed by the Cabinet Office. In the last five years, seven debt collection agencies have ceased to provide a service to HMRC via the joint venture. They either withdrew voluntarily or they ceased providing services due to commercial reasons. HMRC cannot provide more details, including the names of the agencies or specific reasons they ceased providing services, due to commercial interests. Debt Collection agencies form an integral part of HMRC’s debt collection strategy.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Billy Hood

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the United Arab Emirates about theimprisonment of football coach Billy Hood.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Consular staff are providing assistance to Mr Hood and are in contact with his family and legal team in the UAE. We have, and we continue to raise concerns for Mr Hood's welfare with the United Arab Emirates authorities.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to support low-income countries (1) to receive, and (2) to administer safely, the COVID-19 vaccines pledged by the UK.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK is committed to equitable, global vaccine access, and is working with international partners to increase global supply, and end the acute phase of the pandemic. This is why the UK has committed to sharing 100 million doses with countries in need by mid-2022. To date, 10.6 million doses have been delivered, and a further 10 million doses have been accepted by COVAX, to be delivered in the coming weeks. This is on top of £548 million committed by the UK for COVAX's Advance Market Commitment, which will aim to supply up to 1.8 billion doses for up to 92 low and middle-income countries by early 2022. COVID-19 vaccines donated through COVAX are administered by Gavi and their Alliance partners, who work with governments to ensure robust and transparent distribution, and that eporting plans are in place to ensure priority groups are reached. For UK bilateral donations, we have sought assurances from recipients that they have the capacity to roll out doses in line with National Deployment and Vaccination Plans.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Politics and Government

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the integrity of the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina; and what steps are they taking (1) to preserve the Dayton Accords, and (2) to help improve the lives of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK takes very seriously talk of secession and other threats to undo the progress of the last twenty-six years in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). We have called on those responsible to cease this destabilising and divisive rhetoric. As a UN Security Council and Peace Implementation Council Steering Board member, the UK is committed to upholding the Dayton Agreement in BiH. The UK, along with our Allies, is offering visible and practical support to BiH's territorial integrity and to maintain the EU military mission (EUFOR) and the Office of the High Representative in BiH. We continue to help the people of BiH build a better future in a stable and prosperous State with strong, functioning institutions. Ultimately, the authorities in BiH themselves must make necessary reforms for the good of all citizens, and we call on them to meet their obligations to those who elected them.

Developing Countries: Children

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the economic impacts of COVID-19 do not reduce children's global access to (1) health, (2) education, and (3) nutrition services.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK is committed to mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 on children's global access to essential health, nutrition, and education services. We do this through our ambitious global health agenda as set out in the Integrated Review, and the government's manifesto commitment to end the preventable deaths of mothers, new-borns, and children by 2030. We are the largest donor to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and have pledged £1.65 billion from 2021 to 2025 to support the provision of vaccines to 300 million children, saving up to 8 million lives. The Nutrition for Growth summit in Tokyo in December will be a key moment for galvanising international support for access to nutrition for children, and the UK will set out its future ambitions there.The Prime Minister has launched the Girls' Education Action Plan, which sets out the UK's leadership and further commitments on girls' education in the face of the challenges presented by COVID-19, including getting 40 million more girls into school, and 20 million more girls reading by age 10 by 2026. The UK and Kenya co-hosted the refinancing summit for the Global Partnership for Education in July in London. This replenishment raised $4 billion on the day to help education systems build back better following COVID-19, and ensure girls return to school and learn.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Azerbaijan regarding the withdrawal of military forces from the Republic of Armenia,in particular from Syunik and Gegharkunik; and what further discussions they have had regarding releasing all Armenian military and civilians detained in Azerbaijan.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government is closely monitoring the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border following an increase in tensions in recent months. Through the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and bilateral engagement in Baku and Yerevan, UK officials continue to urge the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities to settle all outstanding matters including the peaceful negotiation of their borders. The Minister for Europe and Americas continues to raise the importance of the return of all prisoners of war and missing persons with the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers including in her most recent conversations on 14 June and 6 September respectively. We welcome the most recent return of prisoners of war on 19 October.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ask theInternational Committee of the Red Cross to investigate (1) the torture in Azerbaijan of Armenian prisoners, and (2) the killing and wounding of Armenian soldiers and civilians since the ceasefire.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: During visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan in February, the Minister for Europe and Americas urged both parties to work with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to expedite the return of all prisoners of war. The Minister reiterated the importance of the return of all prisoners of war in her most recent conversations with the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers. Additionally, we continue to urge both Governments to take steps to de-escalate border tensions, undertake independent investigations into all allegations arising from last year's conflict and settle all outstanding matters solely through peaceful negotiation. Although the UK Government has no plans to ask the ICRC to undertake investigations into these allegations, we continue to take careful note of their work in the region and to coordinate with international partners on efforts to reduce tensions and support regional stability.

Ministry of Defence

Shipbuilding

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Goldie on 20 October (HL2896),whether the Ministry of Defenceis responsible for the proposed New Shipbuilding Strategy; and if so, will Ministry of Defence have responsibility for any (1) commercial shipbuilding, or (2) repairs for the maritime sectorin(a) Cornwall, and (b) any other areas in the UK.

Baroness Goldie: The National Shipbuilding Office (NSO) is responsible for the National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh. The NSO is a cross-Government office hosted within the Ministry Of Defence reporting directly to the Secretary of State for Defence in his role as Shipbuilding Tsar. The NSO was formally announced during London International Shipping Week in September 2021 and will work across Government to align Departmental activity with the vision, endorsed by both Government and industry, to create a globally successful, innovative and sustainable shipbuilding enterprise that works for all parts of the UK.The NSO's remit spans the entire shipbuilding enterprise, including commercial shipbuilding and repair. However, the relevant Departments remain responsible for the procurement and delivery of their own shipbuilding and through-life support programmes.

British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies: Defence

Lord Sikka: To ask Her Majesty's Government what resources they provide for defending each of the (1) Crown Dependencies, and (2) British Overseas Territories; and what is the total cost of such resources.

Baroness Goldie: Her Majesty's Government retains an independent ability to defend the UK but also the Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies including providing high readiness maritime, land and air assets to deter and respond to threats. As such, it is not possible to distinguish the individual resources and costs in defending the Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies.

Department for Work and Pensions

Debt Collection

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government which debt collecting agencies the Department for Work and Pensions has ceased to use within the last five years; and what were the reasons in each case.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The DWP has a Debt Market Integrator (DMI) Contract running from 01/04/15 and runs until 20/09/22. Under this contract, Indesser manages several agreements for the provision of debt collection, analytics and litigation services. The contract was placed in 2015, which is a joint venture between HMT and TDX Group, an Equifax company. The Framework was formed to provide a single point of access to a wide range of debt management and collection services for government departments and the wider public sector. DMI presents opportunities to leverage economies of scale across Government giving high power to Government Purchasers. Currently Indesser works with nine government departments: HMRC, DWP, Home Office, DVLA, Student Loans Company, MOJ, Legal Aid Agency, Local Authorities. Indesser hold direct contracts with debt collection agencies (DCA). Each are subject to the Framework standards. They are managed and monitored for performance by Indesser. Current and Historical DCA information and further details of DWP influence on selection/removal of DCAs are outlined below. List of current DMI DCAs that provide services to DWPAdvantis Credit LimitedBPO Collections LimitedCCS Collect – (full name Commercial Collection Services Limited)Moorcroft Debt Recovery LimitedResolvecall Limited Any previous DCA providers over the last 5 yearsDrydens Limited – DCA chose to exit the frameworkAkinika Limited – DCA chose to exit the consumer debt collection marketFredrickson International Limited – DCA chose to exit the consumer debt collection market DWP influence on the selection of DCA providersDWP does not directly influence the selection of DCA providers that provide services to them. The DWP panel was selected by TDX Group and Indesser based on the characteristics of the DWP debt and their suitability to collect the debt and the value for money offered by the DCA. Whilst DWP do not directly influence the selection of the panel, any changes to the DCA panel will be managed through the Contract change control process therefore DWP would need to approve any changes. DWP influence on the removal of any DCA providersDWP do not influence the removal of DCA providers. The panel is closely monitored on a series of performance metrics and where a DCA fails to meet the framework standards they could be removed from a particular client’s panel. Whilst DWP do not directly influence the removal of a DCA from their panel, the change would be managed through the Contract change control process therefore DWP would be required to approve the change.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Food: Prices

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the impact of the shortage of lorry drivers on food prices.

Lord Benyon: The Government monitors consumer food prices using the Consumer Prices Index (including Housing Costs) CPIH. The latest published statistics show annual food and drink inflation as 0.8 per cent in the year to September 2021, up from 0.3 per cent in the year to August 2021. The CPIH month-on-month food and drink inflation rate was -0.2 per cent between August 2021 and September 2021, down from 1.1 per cent between July 2021 and August 2021. The month-on-month rate is generally more variable than the annual rate.This small increase in the annual rate will have been driven by a number of factors. Our research shows that the main drivers of consumer food prices are domestic farmgate prices; domestic manufacturing costs; domestic labour costs, import prices and currency exchange rates. Transport and distribution costs are a relatively small factor in influencing consumer food prices, so the shortage of lorry drivers and any consequential increase in the pay of lorry drivers alone, would not be expected to significantly increase food prices.Most food sectors are accustomed to fluctuations in supply chain costs from these factors and food retailers also compete on price so these increases in supply chain costs do not necessarily translate into consumer price rises.

Waste Disposal: Large Goods Vehicle Drivers

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with local authorities regarding the impact of the shortage of HGV drivers on refuse collection services.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government is in regular contact with the waste sector and local authorities to ensure we have up to date information about current waste collection vehicle staffing levels. The Government recently announced a significant package of measures, including plans to streamline the process for new drivers to gain their HGV licence, and increased capacity for HGV driving tests. As driver shortages across Europe demonstrate, this is a widespread problem caused by a range of factors, including an ageing workforce. We are moving to a high wage, high skilled economy and the Government is encouraging all sectors to adapt and make employment more attractive to UK domestic workers through offering training, careers options and wage increases. The waste sector is already making good strides in this, highlighting that many rounds can be conducted close to home with defined hours, promoting a healthy work/life balance. More information about the measures we are taking to tackle the haulier shortage is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/more-support-to-help-people-to-become-hgv-drivers-among-package-of-government-measures-to-ease-risk-of-shortages

Home Office

Police: Ministers of Religion

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of police practice regarding affording priests and religious ministers access to the (1) dead, or (2) dying, at the scene of a crime.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The College of Policing, in their role as the professional body for policing, have produced Authorised Professional Practice (APP) in relation to the management of crime scenes.Their APP includes guidance on the preservation and security of a scene in order to maintain the integrity and provenance of any material which may be recovered from it. It sets out that investigators should be mindful of the impact that securing and managing a scene can have on a community. However, decisions taken in relation to the management of a crime scene are an operational matter for the Force responding to the incident. In making decisions, we would expect officers to consider the APP and use their professional judgement based on the specific circumstances and demands of the investigation.The College of Policing have confirmed that while there are no plans at present to amend or provide additional guidance in relation to this area unless the law changes, they would welcome further engagement with faith, community leaders or others who have concerns about the current APP to understand their views and consider possible next steps. They can be contacted via stakeholders@college.police.uk.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Local Government Finance: Reform

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform local government finance.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Spending Review concluded last week, and the Secretary of State has written to all local authority leaders about his plans. The Government will set out the proposed approach to allocating funding in 2022-23 through the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement and will engage further with the sector on wider reforms to be implemented in subsequent years.

Business Premises: Change of Use

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effects on high street businesses of the extensions of Permitted Development Rights to allow the conversion of commercial premises to residential premises on high streets.

Lord Greenhalgh: We aim to publish an Impact Assessment on the measures as soon as possible and in accordance with the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015.

Cabinet Office

Patients: Death

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the functions of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to ensure that it (1) collects, (2) analyses, and (3) publishes, data on complaints involving the death of patients that it has decided not to investigate.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the functions of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to ensure that it investigates a higher proportion of complaints received than is current practice.

Lord True: The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is a crown servant that reports directly to Parliament. The Ombudsman is not responsible to the Government for its performance and sets its own standards for practice in how it handles complaints. I understand the Noble Lord is in contact with the Ombudsman who can explain in further detail the organisation's current practice in this area. Further to this the Noble Lord may wish to write to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee that acts as the primary accountability body for the Ombudsman.

Procurement

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask Her Majesty's Government what conditions are written into contracts between (1) government departments, (2) agencies, and outside contractors, regarding contributions by such contractors to (a) political parties, and (b) partisan think tanks.

Lord True: This information is not held centrally. Procurement Policy Note 04/21 sets out guidance for all central government departments and their agencies to prevent, identify, record and remedy conflicts of interest. The framework includes the relevant processes, procedures, and appropriate checks and balances to effectively manage conflicts of interest in a commercial context.

Department for International Trade

Sheep Meat: New Zealand

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the economic impact of the trade deal with New Zealand on the Welsh lamb industry.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: Following the conclusion of negotiations, a full impact assessment will be published prior to scrutiny by Parliament. This will present the results of economic impacts of the agreement, including on UK sectoral output and employment. It will provide an assessment of the potential implications for the UK nations and English regions.

Agriculture: New Zealand

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussionsthey have hadwith the National Farmers' Union about the impact on UK farmers of the recent trade deal with New Zealand.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Department for International Trade (DIT) has established an extensive engagement framework and has consulted regularly with the UK agricultural sector throughout the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with New Zealand. Prior to the start of talks, the Government carried out one of the largest consultations ever undertaken to inform its approach to FTAs, including New Zealand. Throughout negotiations, the UK negotiating team has continued to closely consult experts, including in dedicated trade groups set up by DIT such as the Trade Advisory Groups (TAGs). The National Farmers Union (NFU) have formed part of these consultations throughout, and in May 2021 DIT Ministers held discussions with the NFU across the UK.

COP26

UN Climate Conference 2021: Railways

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many additional train services (1) within the UK, and (2) in continental Europe, are running to assist COP26 delegatesin getting to and from the conference.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government and Transport Scotland have worked closely with rail operators to ensure that adequate cross border rail options are available to delegates wishing to travel between England and Scotland.Delegates travelling from Europe and within the UK have been encouraged to travel by rail where possible. This has been supported by rail operators within the UK and Europe.